One of the toughest things for a natural sloucher to do is improve their posture. After all, we don’t always think about the way we stand or walk; we just do it. Unfortunately, having a poor posture can create pain and spinal complications down the line. A report out of Australia offers some helpful tips on stretching in a way that can also improve posture and spine health. Although our spinal fusion success rate is something we're proud of, we understand that ideal circumstances will find a person not even needing such a surgery in the first place.
Perhaps the first exercise you might try is a pushup. Genuine pushups require you to keep your body straight rather than letting your waist or stomach sag. By laying on the ground and pushing yourself upward like a board, you’re basically getting your body used to its ideal stance while on the ground.
To do so, position your hands about as far apart as your shoulders. Push yourself up and down, bringing your entire body near but not quite all the way to the ground. If you feel pressure in your pectoral muscles, it’s a sign that you’re doing the exercise correctly.
Another stretch you can do while still lying on the ground is something known as a prone cobra extension. Think of it as a pushup where your torso on down stays on the ground. Place your hands right beneath your shoulders and then push upward as far as you can while always keeping your hips flat against the ground.
Weightless squats are another way that you can promote a good posture. You do so by taking one finger and placing it at the very bottom of your sternum and placing the other in the vicinity of your bellybutton. Then, stand up as straight as you can, keeping your fingers in the same place. When you squat, be sure to keep your fingers the same distance apart so that you’re getting the proper tension in your stomach. When you do this the right way, you get in the habit of maintaining your true body height when initiating any bending actions in your daily life.
In addition to squats, you can also apply the finger trick to stretching upward while balanced on one leg. With your fingers in the same position as what’s been described above, stand at your fullest height and bring one leg up, being sure to maintain your height so that your fingers remain equidistant. Over time, it should become easier to balance on either foot without unnecessarily leaning your spine in any direction.
When you have these stretches mastered, you can even invest in an exercise ball so that you can take part in balance activities with that.
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